Crazy Lunatics
by GateKeeperSyn
Summary: April & Dean bond over mental illness & messed up childhoods. As they begin to fall in love, Dean finds out he has a half-sister, Elliot, who needs his help to stay safe from their abusive father. Dean is forced to face the demons of his past, April struggles with her inner demons, & Elliot is struggling to find her place in the world. Dean/AJ, OC/Roman, OC/Seth. Alternating POVs.
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE**

 _ **APRIL**_

The greatest thing about professional wrestling is that "crazy" is not only normal, but embraced. This is a very good thing, because _I'm_ crazy. Like, _legally._ I am clinically diagnosed and everything. The technical term is "bipolar." That means when I'm up, sometimes I'm _too_ up. That can lead to serious issues, including delusions of grandeur and thinking really horrible ideas are actually extremely good ones. When I'm down, I'm so down I don't think I'll ever be up again. That can lead to frequent panic attacks and crying fits as well as the inability to shower, get out of bed, or think about anything except how much everything absolutely sucks and will never get any better.

As I had to explain to WWE Creative, being bipolar does _not_ mean I am running around kissing leprechauns. (Not that I'm opposed to that sort of thing. Hornswoggle, or as I know him, Dylan is a friend. A peck on the cheek isn't out of the question.) I also don't dance with dinosaurs from outer space, although if that's _your_ idea of a fun night, by all means, do your thing.

My name is April, but you probably know me as AJ Lee. I am a tiny, neurotic, nerdy wrestler who redefined what it is to be a woman in the business. Usually, I spend my time beating people up for money. Occasionally (okay, so maybe a bit more often than that), I suffer from very big, sometimes public nervous breakdowns. I am medicated for the safety of myself and others. I am full of sarcasm and I am not afraid to use it. No one is safe. (Cue the evil villain laughter.)

There. I put it all on the table. If you're still here, great! Welcome to the insanity. Now, on with the story.

I was wandering the streets of New York, too wired after RAW to go back to my hotel. I was also hoping to avoid the stalker fans. Let me explain something to everyone. I am a person. Like, an _actual_ human being. Yes, I'm famous. No, that does _not_ give you the right to follow me, demand to take selfies with me, or touch me... Especially that last one. Stalking wrestlers in parking lots, hotels, or airports is creepy. Now, if you see me and ask me nicely, I might pose for a picture or sign your action figure, but if you jump out of the bushes and make demands, I'm going to scream and run the other way... And I might punch you. Fair warning.

Anyway, I thought I was safe, but then a group of guys appeared out of nowhere. Either they were ninjas or they were practicing to become John Cena, but I didn't see them until I was surrounded.

"AJ, oh my God, I love you!" One said.

"Sign my arm," one insisted.

"Can I get a pic?" Another asked.

This was what I got for walking around without WWE Security late at night. "I'm sort of in a rush," I said politely. One of them snapped a selfie that I was certain featured me glaring at him.

A fourth guy grabbed my arm. "Let me go," I said firmly.

He gripped me tighter instead. "Why you gotta be like that, Bitch?" He asked. "We're fans. We're just supporting you. You should be nicer."

I was tempted to respond with a deeply sarcastic retort, but another guy appeared and fear kicked in. I'd been ambushed, and I was starting to seriously fear for my safety. Mob mentality is a powerful thing. As one of them grabbed me and forcibly kissed me, his friends laughed.

I struggled to free myself. "Back off!" I shouted. I struggled to come up with an escape plan, but I had nothing. _Come on, April. You can do this. You're a badass,_ I told myself. _You can get out of this._ I'd been in worse situations before. Growing up essentially homeless had taught me to be very tough at a very young age.

"I thought you'd _like_ that," he insisted. "Loosen _up_ , Bitch!"

Another idiot grabbed my ass. The one holding my arm hadn't let me go. I couldn't hit anyone, so I kneed the one who'd grabbed my ass in the crotch. He cried out in pain.

"I thought you'd _like_ that!" I shouted. "Loosen up, _Bitch!_ " Perhaps it wasn't wise to mock the guys trying to attack me, but that's just who I am. Stick me in a bad situation and the sarcasm comes out.

This earned hysterical laughter from his friends. The guy was mad now. "Stupid slut!" He shouted. He tried to grab me, and I was certain I was screwed, but someone grabbed his arm.

 _ **DEAN**_

I really hate morons. I also hate assholes who pick on women. Because of these things, when I saw a group of five guys surrounding a small, terrified girl, I acted first and thought about it later. They could have had guns or knives or something, but that didn't matter. It wouldn't be the first time I got stabbed or shot. I figured I could take the punks.

I grabbed the one trying to actively attack the girl. I felt something snap as I twisted his arm away from her and was satisfied as he cursed in pain.

"Anyone _else_ wanna fuck with me?" I demanded.

"Holy shit, dude!" One cried out. "You're Dean Fucking Ambrose!"

"I think he broke my arm," the guy I'd grabbed said.

"Maybe he'll sign the cast," the guy still restraining the girl said.

I forcibly separated them and threw the guy on the ground, slamming my foot against his stomach and putting all of my body's weight onto that foot. " _Maybe_ I'll sign the imprint of my boot on your gut! Get the fuck out of here before I go straight CZW on your dumb asses," I said. I knew I could get in some serious shit for physically assaulting fans, but I get into serious shit pretty much every other day, so that wasn't a big deal to me.

I looked at the trembling girl as they ran and realized I knew her. "April?" I asked. "Jeez... Are you alright?" I became angrier realizing they'd been picking on one of my friends.

"I think so," she replied. "Thanks... That could have ended badly... Although I'm sure I could have gotten myself out of it. I'm not a damsel in distress..." Then, the reality of what had happened seemed to set in. I thought she might start crying, but instead, she began laughing hysterically.

"Um... Are you _sure_ you're okay?" I asked.

"He wanted you to sign his friend's cast!" She said through her laughter. "Like, hold up, I'ma let you kick his ass, but first... Do you have a Sharpie?" She put on a super-serious face as she asked the last part.

Now, I was laughing, too. "Fucking Marks," I said. "Come on, let me walk you back to the hotel. If anyone tries to get stupid, I'll unleash _her_." I motioned toward the fork I always keep in my pocket. It's something I started doing as a kid. When you're pretty much living on the street, you learn to adapt. A fork could be used to eat food that I somehow miraculously discovered, or it could be used as a weapon against assholes who wanted to hurt me. Either way, she was always by my side. That fork was the most stable, reliable relationship I'd ever had.

"How very CZW of you," April said. People at WWE were used to my quirks.

"I _told_ them I'd _Mox-out_ on them. I don't give that warning unless I can back it up." Jon Moxley had been my CZW ring name. I might have been forced to play it a bit more PG in WWE, but Mox would always be a part of me. He represented the darkest parts of me, and also the most damaged ones. I'd dropped the name when I got to WWE, and I liked being Dean. I liked it so much, in fact, that I'd stopped using my birth name all together. There were a million and one guys named some variation of Jon in WWE, and I didn't connect with the name. Jon Good was a scared little kid who'd barely survived an extremely fucked-up childhood. Moxley was stronger, but angry and extremely psychotic. But Dean Ambrose? He was all grown up, and he was through taking everyone's shit. (Don't get me wrong. Dean's psychotic, too… I'm just slightly quieter about it sometimes now.) That's why I don't let anyone in WWE call me anything but Dean. It's who I choose to be, and unless you knew me during my indy days, it's the name you need to use if you don't want to find out how it feels to have a fork in your neck.

We walked back to the hotel without incident. I took April to her room, just to make sure she was safe. Only when I made it back to the room I shared with Colby Lopez, a.k.a. Seth Rollins, did I realize how lucky we'd been that things hadn't gone in a different direction.

"You okay, Dean?" Colby asked as he looked up from a comic book. Have I mentioned that Colby's a total dork? I love him anyway, but it's the truth.

"Yeah," I replied.

"Liar. What's wrong?" Colby always knows when I'm upset.

"There was almost an incident... But it's okay. I just beat a couple of marks up."

"Seriously? You can't beat up fans, Dean. You'll get us sued, and they'll fire you-"

"They assaulted April." I didn't think she'd mind me telling Colby that. Everyone knows I tell Colby and Joe everything. They are my brothers.

"Did you make them bleed?" Colby asked, immediately changing his tune.

This was why we're family. Colby gets me. Joe does, too, but it's different with him. He's Roman Reigns, a wrestling legacy. That means he was born into greatness. Colby and I were indy guys. We had to fight for every scrap we got. For a long time, I resented Joe, but it wasn't really his fault. We fought like crazy at times, but I knew he'd take a bullet for me even in the darkest days of our friendship, and I'd gladly have done the same for him. That's still true.

I curled up next to Colby, too frustrated by the morons to relax. He pet my head affectionately and allowed me to take over half of his bed as I fell asleep. This wasn't unusual for us. It was almost a routine, and it never failed to calm me down.

 _ **ELLIOT**_

It had been a hell of a night. The after-party was still going. I had learned to hang with my CZW family early into my training. Most of them didn't know I'd only been fifteen then. After running away to save myself, I'd gone straight to Combat Zone Wrestling in New Jersey. I didn't have any money, but I was desperate, so I'd offered to trade sex for training. Try not to judge me. I grew up with a father who ran in circles where children were treated as currency. It just wasn't that big of a deal to me. I'd been sold for years. At least I was doing this to take care of myself.

It went on for six months. I couch surfed with various CZW guys as I trained. DJ Hyde, the owner of the promotion, was happy to keep our deal going until one day, I crashed with Matt Tremont. I don't know what gave me away, but he sat beside me the next morning.

"How old are you, JD?" He had asked.

"Eighteen," I lied.

"I won't turn you in, but tell me the truth."

I knew I was busted. Matt had always been nice to me, but this was it. My training was over. I sighed. "I'm fifteen," I admitted.

"Whatever you ran from, let me help."

I stared at him. "What?"

"You are a girl who's clearly been through a lot. I won't send you back to a bad situation, but you can't keep trading your body like that."

"I don't mind. I _have_ to train, Matt."

"And you will." He pulled out a ridiculously large wad of cash. "I'm paying for your training to continue."

"But... _Why?_ " I wondered if he wanted me to have sex with _him_ now. He had a wife, but that didn't stop a lot of the guys.

"Because I believe in you, JD. And you deserve a chance."

Those words had meant more to me than he could ever know. And so, I stopped being the unofficial prostitute of CZW and became a respectable wrestler. Two months later, I was actually good enough to have my first really horrible match at Dojo Wars. Dojo Wars is to CZW what NXT is to WWE. It's a place for the students and the greener wrestlers to have their moment. The shows cost about $5 (or a toy donated at Christmas time) and unless they're paired with an actual CZW show, they draw a pretty small (but very loyal) crowd. It was still the greatest moment of my life. It lasted four minutes and thirty-three seconds, and Brittany Blake absolutely squashed me, but it was amazing. I was a real wrestler!

Brittany's one of my favorite girls to work with. She's super talented and can kick the asses of every single guy in CZW. She's this tiny punk girl who is gorgeous to look at but not very intimidating, but that doesn't stop her.

Fast-forward to over a year later, and I was doing shows every week. This was good, because I hated living off of people, and at least this let me feed myself. Even if I wasn't wrestling, I would play valet, manager, or ring crew just to gain some more experience. I didn't get booked on CZW's big shows, which were reserved for the guys and an extremely limited number of girls. A lot of the time, there were no girls wrestling on the card. They put the women on the WSU shows instead. I was usually booked either there or at Dojo Wars. I also worked for random local promotions. Most were less than legitimate, but a few were great. The best part was getting to meet other wrestlers I'd previously idolized. Tommy Dreamer had pretty much adopted me, so anytime we were at a show together, he went out of his way to make sure I was okay. For a while, Brian Myers had tried to convince me to train at his school, Create A Pro, instead of at CZW. He was worried I was going down a bad path and told me as much, but I couldn't afford to pay tuition on my own, so I politely turned him down. I was crushed when Brian ran off to WWE to become Curt Hawkins again, but I knew he needed to do it. I still missed him.

"You're looking hot tonight, JD," Johnny Silver of the Beaver Boys said.

" _You're_ looking drunk," I teased him. Johnny was okay for short amounts of time, but he could be a jerk.

"You're not exactly sober, either, Princess."

He had a point. I'd already done three shots of Jack Daniels and smoked a blunt with Conor Claxton behind the bar. My fake ID was a wonderful thing.

"What are you doing here, anyway? You weren't on the card," I said.

"It's Cage of Death, JD!" He said, like I'd blasphemed with my words. "I _never_ miss Cage."

"No, Johnny, it was a bachelor party in a shitty backyard," I corrected him.

"Hmmm… Well, there was blood, anyway."

"It's CZW. There's _always_ blood."

He pulled me closer to him. I could smell the beer on his breath. "We should make out," he said practically.

"No, Johnny, I don't think we should," I said politely.

"Come on, JD! We can have ourselves a little party." He had me pinned against the bar. I could feel him getting hard.

"Knock it off, Johnny," I said firmly.

"Come on, Baby... We all know you're no virgin."

I was getting ready to punch him when someone got between us. "Leave the kid alone, Asshole," Alex Reynolds said. Alex was Johnny's tag partner and best friend, but honestly, sometimes it seemed like the two of them hated each other.

"But she's _hot_ , Alex!" Johnny whined.

"Dude, seriously, go sober the hell up." He took my hand and led me to another corner of the bar. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah. I can handle morons," I assured him.

"Who are you crashing with tonight?"

"Janelope."

He smirked at the couple name. Even before they announced it, everyone had known Joey Janela and Penelope Ford were an item. I adored them both. Penelope had taken me under her wing at the Dojo right away, and Joey was a really funny guy. I'd expected "the Bad Boy" to be an asshole, but he could be surprisingly sweet.

"I'll give you a lift. They bailed a little while ago," Alex said.

I got into his car. Although the Beaver Boys didn't get booked at CZW much anymore, Alex was literally everywhere on the indies. I knew him pretty well, and I trusted him not to try to violate me, unlike his tag partner.

"I'm sorry Johnny's a jerk," Alex said.

"It's okay," I replied.

"It's not. You're not even legal."

"Yes I am-"

"I'm _not_ an idiot, JD. Don't treat me like one. I know you're a minor."

"How?"

"Tremont doesn't swoop in to rescue every girl Hyde brings into his little harem, but he's also not the kind of guy to let a kid be taken advantage of."

"I knew what I was doing."

"That doesn't mean you should have had to do it. Hyde's an asshole." He paused. "How old are you?"

"Seventeen." It was pointless to lie. Alex knew.

"What are you doing in a place like CZW?"

"Training and paying my dues so I can make it."

"Okay, but why _here_? There are safer, less insane wrestling schools out there."

"Because it's my legacy."

He raised an eyebrow at that. It had just sort of slipped out. I'd known my brother had come from CZW, and that was why I'd run away to New Jersey, but no one knew that. I remember watching the Shield the day they debuted at Survivor Series. I'd looked at those men... those _Gods_... And been mystified. My father had laughed at me and blurted out that Dean Ambrose was my brother. I hadn't believed him until I googled Dean and saw that his last name was the same as mine. For once, the son of a bitch wasn't lying. And that was the day that I decided if my brother could escape and become someone awesome, so could I. My ring name had been chosen partly to honor him, and the hope he'd inspired in me.

"Your _legacy?_ " Alex asked.

"Sure," I said, trying to cover up my mistake. "I'm on the path I feel is destined. It'll all make a great story someday!"

Alex let it go. I'd been known as a dreamer since pretty early in my training. That's how "living the dream" had become my tag line. The one t-shirt I sold read, "Joanna Dean, Living the Dream!" It was black with purple lettering and a cartoon version of me gleefully smiling and raising my arms in the air. Penelope had designed it, and Sami Callihan and Jess Havok had paid to order them as a gift to celebrate my first match at WSU. The money I made from selling the shirts was mine to keep, and it helped me cover the costs of day-to-day living. (You know, deodorant, shampoo, soap, and coffee... If I had money left over, it went to food or transportation costs if I had to get myself to a random show.) I had made enough to order a second run of the shirts. As a birthday present, Penelope, Brittany, and Christina (who wrestled under Solo Darling) had paid for me to get promotional photos taken and had even printed them up so I could sell autographs at shows. I really had the greatest friends here.

"We're here," Alex said. He helped me get the suitcase I lived out of from his car and walked me to the door. "Have a good night, Kid. And stay safe."

Alex left as Penelope embraced me. Joey offered me a spot next to him on the couch as he put Netflix back on. Penelope curled up on his other side. I watched the random slasher movie with mild interest until both Penelope and I fell asleep on Joey. I was pretty sure Joey had no issue with two girls falling asleep on him, and if he did, he kept it to himself before he passed out, too.

This was a typical day in my life, and I liked it that way. I had no idea that with one random decision, the brother who had no clue I existed was about to change everything.

 _ **AUTHOR'S NOTE:**_ _Thanks for reading! There's plenty more to come now that we're past the introduction. I hope you are enjoying the story so far. Reviews are very much appreciated._


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

 _ **APRIL**_

That Wednesday, my alarm woke me up at an ungodly hour. I promptly ignored it. After its third attempt to wake me up, I reluctantly rolled out of bed. I knew I needed to get moving, but my body felt like my limbs had turned to lead overnight. I sort of had the urge to sit in the middle of a busy street and see what happened. I didn't actively want to hurt myself, but I didn't exactly _not_ want to either. This wasn't entirely abnormal. I was too detached from myself to really care what happened.

"Medication time," I told myself firmly. Psych meds and coffee would knock this right out of me... At least I _hoped_ they would. I brewed myself a cup and used that to take my morning meds. The coffee helped slightly, but I still felt inexplicably down.

"Damnit," I mumbled. Then, without warning, my frustration got the best of me and I started crying. I'm not talking a few dignified tears, either. I was full-on hysterical, a mess of very ugly tears. I curled up on the hotel carpet in a fetal position and let it come, knowing the only thing I could do at this point was ride through the sea of depression and pray it didn't kill me before it passed.

Two hours later, I was calmer. I still felt down, but I was back to a place where I could fake it. I stood up, showered, and made myself look semi-presentable. I had about six minutes to spare when I arrived at the hotel gym.

"April!" Pam greeted me with a squeal of delight. I love Pam Martinez more than I can express. The world knows her as Bayley, but I just call her my special little unicorn.

Her enthusiastic hug melted away some more of the depression. "Hey, Pammy," I replied.

"Thanks for coming. I know you could do a ton of other things with your day off."

"And miss working out with my unicorn? Never!" Days off were rare, especially ones that didn't involve us traveling, but I didn't mind spending mine with Pam. She chased away the darkness, and I needed that desperately.

Working out always makes me feel better. I've been working out my issues by exercising since I was a kid. I tried to lose myself in the routine, hoping it would get me back to my usual self, but even as we finished, some of the depression lingered. I hoped I wasn't in for another full-on depressive episode.

 _ **DEAN**_

Colby was practically vibrating from consuming too many Kill Cliffs when he bounced back into our room with Joe. "We're doing Crossfit," he said excitedly. "Wanna come with?"

"For the last time, Colby, I'm not a member of the Cult of Crossfit, and I never will be," I reminded him.

"I'll cover lunch after," Joe offered.

That was tempting, but I resisted his offer. "It's our day off," I reminded them.

"Exactly. We can get in a great work-out-" Colby began.

"No thanks. I've got other plans."

"What plans?" Joe asked suspiciously.

He was on to me... Although, technically, lounging in bed all day _was_ a plan. I knew that wouldn't fly, so I pulled an idea out of my ass.

"I'm going home," I said.

"To Vegas?" Joe asked.

"No, not that home... My _real_ home."

Joe looked confused. Colby looked concerned. "Dean, you know the bosses don't like us going to indy shows," he said.

"Relax, Colbs. It's Wednesday... It's just Dojo Wars. It's not like there's gonna be some huge crowd."

Colby and Joe knew they couldn't talk me out of it, so they didn't argue. "Be careful," Joe said as they left me alone.

I'd had no intention of going to Dojo Wars, but New Jersey was right across the river. I did miss CZW, and my former tag partner and oldest best friend Sami usually hung around the Dojo. It might be nice to see him. We hadn't hung out much since he'd left NXT and ditched his Solomon Crowe character.

I was ready to go when I spotted April. She looked a little down. "Hey," I said casually.

She looked at me and smiled. I could tell she was struggling. "Hi Dean," she replied.

"Wanna get in some trouble?"

Now her smile seemed more genuine. "Maybe... What did you have in mind?"

"I'm going to the Dojo. Want to come with, Jersey Girl?"

"CZW?" She laughed. "The McMahons would hate it... Sure. I'm in."

I loved her reasoning. "Have you eaten yet?" I asked.

"Nope. I was working out with Pam."

"Okay. Lunch is on me. Let's go." I'm nothing if not impulsive. April had clearly been having a bad day. I was happy to see that the promise of some quality indy wrestling seemed to have pulled her out of her funk.

 _ **ELLIOT**_

I was excited for Dojo Wars. My match was against Rory Gulak. Rory was technically a main card guy, but ever since his brother Drew had left us for NXT, Hyde had been struggling to figure out what to do with him. Rory was a good wrestler, but after he and Drew had formed the Amazing Gulaks, no one could take him seriously anymore. Maybe it was the fact that they ran around tossing glitter in the sacred CZW ring and yelling " _A-may-zing!"_ after every single spot. It hadn't hurt Drew's street cred, but Rory had become a bit of a punchline.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Sami asked.

"I'm just going over the match details," I replied.

"It's Rory. You've got this."

"I know... I just want to get it right. I owe Rory the respect of a good match. He's been here longer than I have."

"I love that about you, JD. You're old school. Not everyone appreciates the ones who came before them. Don't ever lose that." He affectionately ran his hand through my hair. There were two types of guys at CZW... The ones who wanted to get in my pants and the ones who viewed me as a little sister they were determined to protect. Occasionally, the line between the two blurred, but it never had with Sami. He only had eyes for Jess.

An hour later, I was in gorilla. Rory was bouncing off the walls. "Ready, Gorgeous?" He asked.

"Definitely," I replied.

His music started and he went out. I waited for my music to start. Choosing a good entrance song is vital on the indies. It helps you stand out and gets the crowd pumped. Matt's music was _Separate Ways_ by Journey. Every time it came on, the entire crowd rocked out to it. Eighties music was popular in CZW, so I'd gone with Pat Benatar's _invincible._ Every time it came on, I felt a rush of adrenaline. As it played now, Elliot Joanna Good vanished and morphed into Joanna Dean. Suddenly, I truly _was_ invincible. Nothing could stop me, especially not Rory Gulak.

The crowd greeted me with enthusiasm. As the bell rang, I attacked Rory. He dodged my blows, ducking and reversing my moves. He shouted, "Amazing!" after every successful move. I hit him with a DDT, but he kicked out of the pin. I regrouped and went up on the ropes. I hit a hurricanrana. It took him down. It wasn't perfect yet, but I was getting better and better at the move. Rory helped sell it. The fans cheered as I went for another pin. Rory tossed me off of him. I stood and Rory followed. He dodged my attempted spear. Then, he pulled me close and kissed me hard as I struggled against him.

"Amazing!" He yelled as I pushed him away.

I glared at him before hitting one of my favorite moves... Call it a Diamond Cutter or an RKO, but either way, I love it. Rory stopped moving. I pinned him, and he kicked out just after I got the win.

I stood, soaking in the cheers. That had been fun.

 _ **DEAN**_

"Who's that girl?" I asked Sami. We were hanging out at the back of the crowd.

"That's JD... Joanna Dean," he replied. "She's pretty awesome."

"How long has she been wrestling?" April asked. "She's pretty good."

"Two years now. She's one of my favorites... Actually, she kind of reminds me of _you_ , Mox." Sami laughed.

"She does have some similar mannerisms in the ring," April agreed.

I considered this. JD was pretty badass, especially for a greener wrestler. The weirder thing was she kind of looked like me. She had the same shaggy blonde hair and crazy eyes. For a second, I was mildly concerned I'd fathered a kid I didn't know about. "How old is she?" I asked.

"About twenty, I think," Sami replied.

I was fairly certain that meant she couldn't be my kid. That was a relief. Still, it bugged me that she looked so much like me. "We could be related," I said aloud. "That's crazy... But look at her."

"Wanna meet her?" Sami asked. "I could introduce you."

I shrugged. I might as well, right? After the show, Sami snuck me and April into the back. JD stood brushing out her hair as she laughed with Penelope Ford. I watched her for a minute. She even sort of moved like me. I couldn't shake the certainty that somehow, this girl was related to me. She looked up as Penelope walked away. As Sami approached her, she damn-near squeaked at the sight of me and April.

"Holy... Um... Hi," she said lamely.

"JD, this is April, and my buddy Mo- um... Dean," Sami said, catching himself. He was fully aware that only a select few got away with calling me Mox.

"I know," she said. She suddenly looked very freaked out. "It's... It's really awesome to meet you. I'm Joanna, but everyone here calls me JD."

"You got a last name, JD?" I asked. "It's not Dean, right?" I was sure I knew the answer, and I was dreading it.

"No," she admitted. She suddenly looked terrified. I watched her have an internal debate with herself before she made a decision. "It's Good. My name is Elliot Joanna Good."

 _Crap,_ I thought. "That was my last name once upon a time... Still is during tax season and all of that."

"I know..." She sighed. "According to my father, you're sort of my brother."

April looked stunned. Sami actually cried out, "The fuck?"

"Yeah, that's probably true," I said. "He wasn't around much. I wouldn't know if he had any other kids." I paused. "So, JD... Is that what you prefer to be called?"

"No... I mean, sort of, but... That was for safety. I didn't want him to find me. I actually like my name... You can call me Elliot," she said.

"Dude... Is everything you told us a lie?" Sami asked.

"I'm sorry, Sami..." She looked like she might cry. "I didn't do it to hurt you guys... My dad... He's..."

"He's a bastard," I said, cutting her off. "She did what she had to do."

She looked at me with haunted eyes... The same haunted eyes I saw every day in the mirror... And I knew this kid had been through hell. No matter what happened, she needed help.

"Honey... How old are you?" April asked what I hadn't thought to.

"I'm seventeen," Elliot admitted.

"But... Then... You were... Jeez, kid!" Sami rambled.

"Yeah... I'm sorry."

"Be right back. I gotta go castrate Hyde," he declared.

"Hyde didn't know," she insisted.

"He wouldn't have cared," Sami informed her. I could guess what that meant. It wouldn't be the first time my old boss had taken advantage of a kid.

"Come on, Elliot," I said, just following my instincts. "I'm buying you, April, and Sami dinner, and we can talk."

She looked stunned. "Okay," she said cautiously.

I had no idea what I was going to do. I had a sister. She was underage. Legally, now that this information was out, the state could send her back to our father. Looking at her, I knew only one thing. There was no way in hell I could let that happen.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

 _ **ELLIOT**_

This was the last way I'd expected to spend my night. Dean loaded all four of us into his rental and we drove to a restaurant a few miles away.

"Where do you live?" Dean asked me.

"Tonight?" I asked. "Probably Matt Tremont's couch."

"You could crash with me and Jess if you want," Sami offered. "She'll be home late tonight, but you know she doesn't mind."

"You're homeless," Dean said bluntly.

"No. My home is the Dojo," I replied defensively.

"She hasn't spent a single night on the street since she got here," Sami reassured him. "We take care of our own. You know that."

It was true. I wasn't the first stray who'd found their way to CZW. Rich Swann had once been basically homeless. He'd also become a couch surfer at CZW, and now he had made it all the way to WWE. This wasn't the end of the road. It was just one step on my journey.

"But you don't have your own place. You don't have a steady job. You can't get emancipated." Dean shook his head. "If anyone finds you, they have every right to either send you back or stick you in foster care."

I felt panic begin to overwhelm me. I was an indy wrestler. He was right. It wasn't steady work, especially since I was still green and wasn't always booked. I'd hoped he would understand, but it seemed like my brother might be planning on sending me back to a situation I'd barely escaped to begin with.

"How often do you work?" April asked gently.

"As often as I can," I replied. "I wrestle, I work crew... I've even played tally person at signings. I'd do more, like get a day job, but..."

"But that's impossible when you're on the run," Dean said. He parked the car. "Everyone out. I need food and caffeine to make my brain work."

We all got out of the car and walked toward the diner he'd chosen. "Nice," Sami said. "I haven't been here in ages."

"It was Manny's favorite place," Dean replied. "We used to come here all the time." He looked haunted.

"Manny was a friend of ours," Sami explained. "She, um... She died a couple years back."

"Right before I left for FCW," Dean added. "Manuela Perez... She should have been the next big star." He shook his head. "I don't know why I came here. Habit, I guess."

"Food's damn good. You'll love it," Sami promised me. He led me inside. I noticed April stay back. She took Dean's hand in hers and squeezed it before they caught up to us.

We sat in a booth at the back. It was hidden from most of the other people there and we could talk fairly freely.

"Look... You can pretend you never met me," I said quickly, "but please don't turn me in. I can't go back there."

"I'm not turning you in, Kid," Dean said. "Not as long as you cut the bullshit and tell me the truth. Why'd you run?"

I wasn't sure how to explain just how bad things had been. I decided to start with physical evidence. I rolled up my shirt to reveal a scar between my ribs. "I got this when I was eight. I told him I didn't want to go out to his friend's house because I wasn't feeling well, so he stabbed me. Then he decided I had a reason to stay home."

"Goddamn," Sami whispered as April gasped in horror. Dean remained silent.

I lifted up my hair to reveal another scar. "I earned this when I was four. I wet the bed, so he took me into the bathroom and bashed my head into the toilet seat... Twelve times. Maybe more, but I blacked out after that. It was my first concussion."

Dean reached toward me. I flinched, but forced myself to relax as he traced the scar with his fingertip. I let my hair drop back down as he pulled away. "I'm betting you have a lot of other stories," he finally said. "Ones that didn't always leave physical marks."

"I do," I confirmed. "I lost my virginity before I was old enough to remember." He wanted honesty. I was prepared to give it to him. I expected a million reactions, but not the one I got.

"Me, too," he said calmly. April looked heartbroken by our conversation. She said nothing, but automatically reached for Dean's hand again. He didn't even seem to realize he was taking it. I vaguely wondered if they were a couple.

"Excuse me. I gotta go castrate your dad before I go for Hyde," Sami said firmly. He started to get up.

"Sit," Dean said. He shook his head. "Look, Elliot... My dad wasn't around much, but when he was, it was bad. I literally don't have a single good memory of him. Mom wasn't much better. I get having a shitty upbringing. So if you want, you can come stay with me. I'm nuts, but I won't hurt you, and I won't let anyone else do it either."

I stared at him. "Seriously? But you don't even know me... And you're famous," I said lamely.

"And you're my sister... Besides, you need someone."

"Legal won't like it," April said gently. "You'll have to do this the right way."

"Legal can suck my left nut. I'm her family, April... And I'll fight for her."

I was stunned. Was this actually happening?

"But... My training," I objected. "I can't stop."

"And you won't. I can help you train on the road, and I'll bring you back here on my days off. How much is tuition now?" Dean asked Sami.

"It's paid through the year," I replied. "Matt covers it for me."

"Is Tremont good to you? Did he demand anything?"

"No, never. Matt figured out I was underage and to stop me from sleeping with Hyde for lessons, he insisted on paying."

"Remind me to thank him for that... Look, Elliot, you're allowed to make your own choices, and I won't send you back to him... But I'd like to help... And it only seems right that we get to know each other, being siblings and all."

I nodded. "Okay," I said.

"You'll need to get a DNA test done," April said. "If you want to get legal custody of her, you need to prove she's your sister."

It was strange to decide all this before we even ordered our food, but it was happening. My brother was swooping in and taking me with him... I didn't know what to do, so I just ate my burger. Sami was right. It was awesome. It was also much easier to focus on than the fact that my life was about to be flipped upside-down.

 _ **DEAN**_

It had turned out to be a hell of a night. The last thing I'd expected to find at CZW was my little sister, yet here she was. I wondered if taking her back to the hotel for a night before I got custody was considered kidnapping. I didn't care. She was still a kid, and she needed help.

After dinner, we drove Sami back to his car before heading to New York. April curled up in the backseat and let Elliot sit beside me. It might have been awkward, but I decided to blast some music and sing obnoxiously along. That's how I usually relax myself. It turned out that Elliot knew the words to all of the songs, too, and soon, we were both singing. I could hear April laughing from behind me.

When we reached the hotel, I looked at Elliot. "If I get you a room, you need to promise not to run off on me," I said.

"I'll stay for now," she replied. I understood why she wouldn't commit to more. It wasn't like the kid knew me. I was amazed she'd trusted me enough to even get in my car with me.

There was a room down the hall from mine and Colby's. It was directly across from Joe's room, and I decided that meant it was safe enough. I booked the room, then walked April back to hers before knocking on Joe's door.

Joe answered the door in just his jeans. His hair was soaking wet. I could see my new sister taking in the visual with some serious appreciation. Maybe I should have thought this through more, but I never do that. I act on instinct. It comes from growing up fighting for my survival.

Joe looked at me questioningly after looking at Elliot in confusion. "What's up?" He asked.

"Joe, Elliot. Elliot, Joe," I said. "She's got the room across from yours. Can you do me a favor and look out for her tonight?"

"Sure... But who, exactly, is she?"

"This is my kid sister."

Joe stared at me. "I thought you didn't have any family besides the mother you never go see."

"I didn't... This is news to me, too. She's my dad's kid."

"And you're sure?"

"I'm positive... But the doctors can verify it tomorrow. She needed a place to stay. She's been couch surfing at CZW."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Elliot."

"Nice to meet you, too," Elliot said. She was still looking at him in shock. Joe has that effect on people sometimes. It's not just his magical hair... He's got really intense eyes. They're not lost and crazy like mine or soft and overly friendly like Colby's. It's more like Joe's trying to read your soul when he looks at you.

I handed her the keycard for her room. "If you need anything, my number's in your phone... And I'm just down the hall. Or you can knock on Joe's door if it's an emergency," I said.

She nodded. "Thanks," she said.

She turned around and unlocked her door, dragging her suitcase behind her and disappearing inside. "Do you wanna talk about it?" Joe asked me.

"Not tonight," I said. "Just make sure she stays safe tonight, okay?"

"I will."

I nodded before heading to my room. Colby looked up as I walked inside. "How was the show?" He asked.

"I liked it so much I brought a wrestler back with me," I said.

Colby looked at me in confusion. "For a hook-up?"

"Nope. To adopt."

"Wait, what?"

"I have a sister, Colby. And she's probably even more fucked-up than I am."

"How can I help?"

"I don't even know..." I shrugged. "I'm going to bed." I didn't even change. I just threw myself on my bed and tried to shut the rest of the world out.

Sometime later, I was regretting that choice. My subconscious was never one for being kind to me. I dreamed of _him_... My father.

 _He was angry, like always. He put his hands around my throat and squeezed. He loved doing that. He tried to pull my pants down and I fought. I_ always _fought. He slapped me and my mother came over with a needle full of who knew what. She shot me up with way too much for my still tiny body and I blacked out. I woke up to both of them doing things to me that no one should ever do to a child. I was too weak and high to fight them. All I could do was lay there and whimper…_

"Dean... Dean, it's okay," someone said gently.

 _Dean? Who's Dean? I'm Jonny,_ I thought.

"Dean, wake up... It's okay," the voice said again. A hand was gently running through my hair.

"Colby..." I mumbled. I opened my eyes and realized he was in my bed holding me and trying to calm me down. I couldn't bring myself to say anything else as I buried my face in his chest and cried.

There are very few people I'll cry in front of. Colby and Sami are at the top of the list. Joe had seen it happen once, when Colby nearly died on us. He'd been hysterical, too, so I hadn't felt the need to hide my weakness. That was pretty much it. I used to cry in front of Manny, too, but she was dead now. That no longer counted.

I knew Colby wouldn't judge me as I freaked out. He didn't even ask what was wrong until he could tell I was calmer. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"Nope," I replied. "But I'll fake it."

He nodded. "Want me to stay?"

"Yeah... I'm not sleeping on my own tonight."

At some point, I passed back out with Colby beside me. That kept the nightmares away for the rest of the night.

 _ **ELLIOT**_

I didn't plan on the next part... I was just feeling anxious, so I left my room shortly after Dean left to take a walk. I ended up at the hotel bar. I needed a drink, so I ordered a shot of Jack... That was followed by three more.

"Easy there, Baby Girl," Joe said charmingly as I tossed the fourth one back. "Are you okay?"

"I'm good... Just had a rough night," I replied.

"Why don't we go back upstairs?"

"What are you doing down here?"

"Keeping my word. I had a feeling you'd be here when I realized you weren't in your room."

"I like to party. I had to learn, hanging out with all those CZW guys."

"Let's go upstairs," he said again.

I agreed. I was bored, anyway. When we got to our rooms, I pressed him against his door and started playing with his hair. "You're sexier in person," I informed him.

"And you're drunk." He smirked at me.

"Not really. This is nothing." I grabbed his key out of his pocket and opened his door, pushing him inside.

"Elliot..."

I kissed him, not caring how crazy this was. I was terrified, in a new environment, and had no idea what might happen later. It seemed like a good idea to go with something familiar. One thing I was very used to was sex. Something about Joe called to me.

He responded to the kiss. I pushed him down on his bed and ran my hands under his shirt. Joe let out a moan before gaining control of himself. "Elliot, Dean's gonna kill me-"

"I've known Dean for one day. He doesn't get a say." I kissed him again and straddled him.

Joe was through protesting when I unzipped him and wrapped my mouth around him. He barely managed to get out, "Condoms... In the drawer..."

I pulled one out as I released him from my mouth. Then I pulled off my pants and slid it over him before starting to ride him.

We went at it for a while before I finally passed out. Once Joe took control, it reached a whole other level and exhausted me. Only when I woke up in his arms the following morning did I wonder if I'd crossed a line by sleeping with my brother's best friend. I wasn't sure if I cared yet... But I also didn't want to upset Dean. He was trying to help me. The least I could do was try not to mess up his life.

 _ **APRIL**_

I spotted Dean as he walked down the hall toward Joe's room. "How are you feeling?" I asked. He looked awful.

"Like crap," he admitted. "It was a rough night."

"Do you want a lift to the hospital?"

"Yeah, sure... After breakfast. Company would be nice."

He knocked on Elliot's door. There was no answer. He looked concerned and knocked on Joe's door next. As soon as Joe opened it, I knew trouble was coming.

"Dean... I..." He started.

"Where is she?" Dean asked.

"Right here," Elliot called from inside the room. She walked toward the door. Joe looked horrified.

"Seriously, Joe?!" Dean demanded. "I asked you to keep her safe!"

"I _am_ safe," Elliot pointed out.

"Yeah, well, I didn't mean for him to protect you with his dick!" Dean declared.

I was torn between running and pulling up a chair and some popcorn. I was also struggling not to laugh. It wasn't exactly funny, but my crazy mind disagreed with me.

"Dean, I... I didn't mean to-" Joe began.

"Did you fucking _trip_?!" Dean demanded.

I covered my mouth to hide the laugh that slipped out.

"It was my choice," Elliot insisted. "I pushed."

"She's _seventeen,_ Joe!" Dean shouted.

"She... _What?_ " Joe asked. "You were in a bar!"

"Um... About that... I have a fake ID." Elliot informed him. "But I wanted to mess around. It was _my_ idea."

"Dean, I didn't know," Joe insisted.

Dean looked at Elliot and sighed. "I know... This kid's _way_ too much like me." He said.

"Breakfast?" I asked to break the awkward silence. "My treat."

"Fine," Dean said. "But Joe better keep it in his fucking pants!"

Breakfast was awkward, to say the least. I thought Dean might stick a fork in Joe any second, but he somehow resisted the urge. I only had to stop him once, when Elliot made a flirtatious comment to Joe and he laughed at it. Dean calmed down at my touch. I kind of liked that I had that effect on him.

 _Not the time, April,_ I scolded myself. Had I suddenly started crushing on Dean? That was impossible.

After breakfast, I drove Dean and Elliot to the hospital. While they got blood tests done, I called an old friend.

"League of Assassins. How may we service you?" She answered cheerfully.

"Hey, Sellie," I replied with a laugh. Selena Klein was the top WWE lawyer. She never lost a case and the McMahons ran her ragged. She was also a gigantic nerd, and we'd bonded years ago over a shared love of comic books and superheroes. I'd called her because whenever she wasn't winning cases for the McMahons, she was doing pro-bono work for abused kids.

"April! What's up?"

"I need a favor... Actually, Dean does."

"For you, or him, sure. What's going on?"

"Dean found out he has a sister. She ran away from an abusive situation... He wants to take her in."

"I can be there in an hour." Sellie lived in Connecticut. "How old is she?"

"Seventeen."

"How bad's the abuse?"

"Really bad."

"I'm on it. Get a DNA test run."

"We're already working on that."

"Great. I'll see you soon."

I hung up, relieved to have done something helpful. If anyone could make sure Dean got custody of his sister, it was Sellie.

"We just need to wait on results," Dean said as he and Elliot joined me.

"Sellie's on her way," I said.

"Sellie... You're brilliant, April!" Dean hugged me. "Thank you."

I smiled, enjoying his touch more than I'd expected. Maybe there _were_ some feelings there. I kind of wanted to explore that, but for now, it would have to wait.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR**

 _ **DEAN**_

I had used my WWE Superstar status to put a rush on the DNA test, but we still had to wait a while. I was spacing out between April and my sister when a voice said, "Did somebody call in the _Avengers?_ "

"Sellie," I said in relief. If Sellie was here, I wouldn't have to make all of the decisions anymore. Sellie was the biggest shark lawyer WWE had, but she also specialized in working on custody cases. They'd originally hired her to handle the many, many, _many_ claims of women who insisted that Vince, Shane, or even Paul Levesque had sired one of their kids. That had soon expanded to protecting the rest of the roster from similar claims. Upon realizing how smart she was and the fact that she never lost a case, Vince and his family had begun putting Sellie on every major legal case they had. No matter the situation, Sellie always made sure they came out on top.

I hate lawyers as a general rule, but Sellie's different. Maybe it's the fact that she's just so _Sellie_ that makes me love her, but she's always been a friend. She smiled at me from behind her cat-eye glasses. Her hair was in its usual pigtails and she wore jeans and a _Captain America_ t-shirt. This was pretty much Sellie's uniform unless she was appearing in court. Sellie cleaned up nicely, but I much preferred her Nerd Girl look.

"Hey, Sel!" April greeted her warmly with a hug.

I stood up and hugged her, too. "Thanks for coming," I said.

"For Jon Moxley? Anytime," she said with a grin in her best fangirl voice. Sellie broke WWE's number one rule by attending indy shows. She had been to more than a few CZW shows over the years. We'd first met there, but she called me Dean unless she felt like teasing me. She focused. "Seriously, Dean, fill me in."

"This is Elliot... The DNA test should confirm any minute that she's my sister." I paused. "Elliot, this is Sellie, the Avenging Attorney."

Elliot stood to shake Sellie's hand. "Hi," she said nervously.

"Don't worry, sweetie," Sellie said. "I'm here to help." She paused. "Have you been examined yet?"

"They took blood..."

"I know this is going to be hard for you, but we need to document the abuse... The doctors will need to do x-rays, maybe more... And document any scars, too. I'll be with you the whole time."

Elliot shrugged. "I'll be fine," she insisted.

"You're tough. I like that." Sellie nodded approvingly. "I'm going to get things started." She walked away, presumably to find a doctor.

"Do you need me to be with you for that?" I asked. "Or... I mean, if you'd prefer a woman..."

"I could go," April offered.

I looked at her, amazed how quickly she'd involved herself. This hadn't been what she'd signed up for when I took her to Dojo Wars, yet she'd been literally holding my hand for everything since. Stranger still was the fact that I'd let her. I didn't usually let anyone in. Colby and Joe were the only people in WWE that got that close to me. How had April suddenly become my sidekick? Maybe I hadn't noticed her sneaking in because she was so tiny. I mean, seriously, April's _really_ short. It's kind of adorable.

"I'm okay, really," Elliot said.

"Honey... I know you don't know me well, but you don't know Sellie at all. You don't have to do this alone," April insisted.

Elliot hesitated, then nodded. "Okay... Okay, thanks."

When Sellie returned, she asked, "Are you ready?"

Elliot took a deep breath. "Yeah," she said. "Let's get this over with."

"I'll be right here when you're done, Elliot," I said.

As the three of them walked away, I leaned my head against the wall and tried to calm down. I knew I was doing what I had to for the kid, but what would happen next? Would this go to court? Would I have to see _him?_ Would I be forced to face that sick son of a bitch again? I wasn't sure I could handle that... But no one had ever protected me, and it seemed like that had been the case with Elliot, too. It was about damn time that _someone_ defended the kid. It might as well be me.

 _ **ELLIOT**_

It wasn't so bad at first. I had been examined by doctors a lot since becoming a wrestler. I could handle the basics. Even x-rays weren't foreign to me... But when I had to strip so they could document my scars, I started to panic. It wouldn't have been so bad, but they were taking pictures of the scars, and I was naked, and I started flashing back to the times I'd been forced to let people take naked pictures of me before.

I tried to hide my panic, but Sellie and April both noticed. "Are you alright?" April asked gently.

I nodded, too terrified to speak. I started crying as the camera went off again. "Let's take a break," Sellie suggested.

"No... Just get it over with," I said. "Please." I forced myself to take several deep breaths.

I wanted more than anything to be back at CZW. I wanted my friends to be patching me up, not some random strangers taking naked photos of them. I wanted Penelope.

"Liv..." I whispered.

"What was that?" Sellie asked.

"Liv. I want Olivia." That was Penelope's legal name. I barely used it, but when I was scared, it added a comforting level of intimacy. She was practically my big sister, and I needed her now.

"You mean Penelope Ford?" Sellie asked. "You're a CZW girl, right?"

I was stunned she knew who I was talking about. I nodded. Sellie covered me and handed me my cell phone. I dialed without stopping to think.

"JD? Are you okay?" She answered.

"No," I admitted. "Can you come to New York? I'm... I'm in the hospital, and I need you..."

"What happened? Are you hurt? Sami said Dean Ambrose took you away... He wouldn't elaborate. That could literally mean anything..."

"He's my brother... I... Livvie, I lied. I lied about everything... I'm only seventeen, and I'm a runaway, and my dad abused me, and they're running tests, and doing exams, and... And I'm scared, and I need you..." I was rambling and I couldn't stop. "I'm sorry. I know you probably hate me now because I'm a liar and I shouldn't have called-"

"What hospital?" Liv asked.

"What?"

"I'm on my way. What hospital?"

I gave her the information, stunned she still wanted to come. "We'll take a break until she gets here," Sellie said supportively. I nodded, then got dressed, which helped calm me down a bit. I opted to stay in the room alone until Liv could get there. Sellie stayed outside, making sure no one bothered me, and April left to check on my brother.

 _ **APRIL**_

There were an insane number of scars on Elliot's body. Only a few were from wrestling. My heart ached for her.

I found Dean still sitting where we'd left him. He was staring off into space, his eyes red from exhaustion and possibly crying. I decided not to ask.

"Is it bad?" Dean asked me.

"Yeah," I admitted. "The doctor told Sellie the x-rays showed years of abuse, and the scars showed more."

"Fuck... She's just a kid, April... If I'd known... If I'd had any clue I had a sister... I'd have kidnapped her to get her away from that cocksucking bastard."

"You couldn't have known."

"I should have thought to check. I know what a horny bastard he is... I should have checked if he had other kids..."

"Dean, stop." I put a gentle hand on his arm. "This isn't your fault."

He shook his head. "You don't get it."

"So help me understand."

"She's not the first sibling I've had."

I watched him, waiting for him to say more. When he didn't, I asked, "What happened?"

"I had a brother... A full sibling. My mom didn't take care of him, so I did. I changed him, I bathed him, I fed him... I tried to keep him clean, even when my mom refused to wash our clothes for weeks on end. I let her hurt me... I let her boyfriends and drug dealers hurt me... Just to try to protect him." He shook his head. "I tried so hard, but he still had issues. He got into drugs... He didn't make it to his sixteenth birthday."

"Dean... I'm so sorry..."

"I left him, April. When I couldn't take it anymore, I ran away, but I couldn't take him with me... And then one day, I went back to give my mom some of the money I'd made, and he was gone... Just... _gone._ And I swore I'd kill her for it, but I couldn't. She was an addict. She was sick... She needed help, but my father left her... He only came around when he felt like using her or hurting me... She was sick. She... It wasn't her fault."

I understood way too well what it was like to have a parent struggling with mental health issues and addictions. My mother was bipolar and my father was an addict. Dean and I were more alike than I'd realized.

"You don't talk about him... About any of them, really," I observed.

"No, I don't. What's the point? I don't see my father. My brother's dead... And my only contact with my mother comes in the form of me writing her a check every month to pay her rent and keep her alive. There's not much to talk about."

"Do you ever go see her?"

"Nope. I can't handle that. I call her on very rare occasion to make sure she still has a pulse... It would be pointless to keep paying her rent if she died."

"My parents have issues, too... If I didn't have my older brother and sister, I wouldn't be here." That was true. I loved them both, and for a long time, I'd lived with my sister so we could help our parents cover their rent but still be on our own.

"Why isn't Elliot back with us?" Dean asked suddenly, snapping out of his thoughts.

"She freaked out... She called Penelope Ford to come stay with her during the rest of the exams."

"She's a tough kid... But this was bound to set her off. I'm just glad she asked for help." He was shaking. I noticed a stray tear on his cheek. It had probably slipped out while he was talking about his brother. It sat there now, stubbornly refusing to leave his face.

Before I even realized what I was doing, I reached toward his face and touched his cheek. He stared at me in confusion and I looked into his eyes as I used my thumb to wipe the tear away. Something seemed to change in him then. His eyes softened and I saw something broken in them. He'd just let his walls down, even more than he had with his words.

Suddenly, Dean leaned in and kissed me. I was taken by surprise, but not entirely shocked. Dean always did impulsive things, and he was obvious feeling vulnerable. I decided to stop reading so much into it and just enjoyed the kiss. His lips felt good against mine. I could get used to this, but I doubted Dean intended for the kiss to really go anywhere.

When he finally pulled away, he casually said, "I'm starving... I think I'm turning into a stress eater. You want a cookie?" He pulled a package of vending machine cookies out of his pocket.

"Yeah, I could go for something sweet," I said. I'd have preferred his lips, but a cookie didn't sound bad either. I wasn't offended that he hadn't addressed the kiss. I figured that was just Dean, and it didn't mean anything more than that he'd needed to connect to someone for a moment. I was okay with that... Mostly. I just wished the kiss had lasted a little bit longer...

 _ **ELLIOT**_

There was a knock before the door to my room was opened. Liv stuck her head in before entering and closing the door behind her. "Okay," she said. "Talk to me." She sat down beside me as I began to fidget.

"I'm so sorry I lied," I began.

"Quit apologizing. I'm not mad."

"You're not?"

"You were afraid for your safety... And you're still the girl you were when we met... Just younger than I thought. We're family, JD... Just tell me the truth from now on and we're good."

"Okay... For starters, my name's not Joanna... Well, it is, but it's my middle name and I never used it until I got to CZW... You can start calling me Elliot if you want."

"Okay, so we're ditching the kayfabe names. No more calling me Penelope, as a reflection of the fact that we're being totally honest. Family gets to call me Liv anyway." She paused. "Tell me why you ran."

"My dad was abusive, like I said on the phone."

"He hit you?"

"Hit, stabbed, beat... Fucked..." My voice cracked. Why was it so hard to tell her this? I'd been able to tell Dean... But Liv was different. She knew me.

"That bastard raped you?" Liv asked in horror. Rage flashed on her face. "I suspected, the first time I took you to the doctor, that someone had... But your own father..." She cursed softly.

"You didn't say anything."

"I figured if you wanted to tell me, you would... But your reaction to the GYN exam was really strong. You were terrified." She squeezed my hand. "You asked me to go with you when Brittany insisted you needed to see one because you never had... I was there then and I'm here now. Whatever happens, J- Elliot, it'll be okay."

"I'm scared..."

"That's understandable."

"They... They have to take pictures, Liv... He used to... He..." I started crying, feeling like the terrified kid I'd been when I first ran away.

"Elliot..." She sighed, then hugged me. "No one's ever going to do that to you again. If they try, they'll have to go through Janelope! And the rest of the CZW roster, too."

I started to calm down. I could do this. "You're a badass, Ellie... Can I call you that?" Liv asked.

I smiled sadly. "I like that, actually," I said. "Until CZW, no one ever cared enough about me to give me a nickname. That's why I loved being JD... I finally felt like I belonged."

"You _do_ belong, Ellie. You're part of our family, and you always will be. Now... Are you ready to do this?"

I nodded. "As ready as I can be," I decided aloud.

The doctor was brought back in. Sellie kept a respectful distance during the exam, letting Liv hold my hand. When they put the camera away and transitioned to a vaginal exam, I pretended we were back in the GYN's office just doing routine tests. I blocked everything out but Liv and listened to her crack jokes and try to ease my nerves. It worked.

As I got dressed, I heard the doctor talking to Sellie. "We can definitely prove abuse," she said. "The amount of tearing alone shows someone routinely hurt her very badly... But there's no DNA at this point. It will be her word against his."

"Don't worry about that," Sellie replied. "This is _my_ case. That bastard's either going to jail or going straight to hell, and I don't really care which."

As we rejoined Dean and April, I spotted someone else. "Joey..." I said awkwardly. "Did you come to kick my ass?"

"No worries, JD... I'm just Penelope's valet today," he said with a grin. Then he added, "Are you okay?"

"Call her Ellie," Liv said. "And she's going to be fine. This girl's tough as shit."

"She's a Moxley," Joey said. "Of course she's tough."

"That's still unconfirmed," I said.

"Not for long," Dean said. He pointed to a doctor coming toward us. "Are the results back?"

"Yes. It's hard to say one-hundred percent without a sample from your father, but I'm positive you two are siblings. There were enough markers in the DNA to prove that much," the doctor replied.

"So... Now we know," Dean said.

"What happens next?" I asked.

"Now, I start building my case," Sellie said.

"And we go do karaoke," Dean said.

"Seriously?" I asked. I was very confused by the random decision.

"It solves all problems." He sounded pretty sure of that.

"He's right," Joey added. "You know you love karaoke, J... um... Ellie."

I did. "Can we?" I asked Sellie.

"Hell yes... As long as I come," Sellie said.

"For legal reasons?"

"No... I just need me some Moxley _Sweet Caroline_ after today." She smiled at Dean.

"Anything for you, Sel," Dean replied.

The next thing I knew, we were heading to a karaoke restaurant. That seemed pretty odd after the day we'd had, but something told me things were rarely _normal_ around Dean.


End file.
